Unitary bed structure



" July 7, 1953 A, A.' SANDOW y 2,644,168

UNITARY BED STRUCTURE Filed April 3, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. #wf/er ,4. SAA/00W July 7, 1953 A. A. sANDow 2,644,168

d UNITARY BED STRUCTURE Filed April s, 195o s sheets-sheet 2 j IN VEN TOR. A235 A SAA/00W July 7, 1953 A. A. sANDow 2,644,168

' I UNITARY BED STRUCTURE 4 Filed April 3, 1950 3 Sheets-Shea*l 3 0A? @gli IN VEN TOR. /fr A SAA/pow Patented July 7, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEl UNITARY BED STRUCTURE l Albert A. Sandow, Los Angeles, Calif. Application April s, 195o, serial No. 153,581

Claims.

This invention relates to a unitary bed structure of the type that is selectively convertible from a structure that is usable as a double bed to one that serves as twin beds.

While attempts have been made in the past to provide a convertible structure as indicated, the same invariably embodied certain major faults. When conversion was desired, such prior strucs tures could be adjusted only from a position outra side the structure and not from a position while occupying one of the beds thereof. Such conversion was accomplished by moving one bed= stead relative to the other along the floor sup porting the same with resulting wear on the floor surface or carpeting covering such surface. One prior attempt entailed a unitary bedstead of double width in which two sets of springs and mattresses were moved relatively and, when sepan rated, overhung the sides of the bedstead so that pillow support of the headboard thereof was lost.

Recognizing the above faults, the present in-= vention has for an object to provide a unitary bed structure that embodies a common support base fortwo single beds and is provided with means in said base operable from a position on either bed for moving both said beds together or apart as desired. By means of such a structure it will not be necessary to leave the bed to effect conversion as above.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unitary bed structure embodying novel means handy to both occupants of the beds for effecting the mentioned conversion while lying on said beds, the invention contemplating such bed-moving means that are positive and efficient and are, at all times, unobtrusive and yet easy of access.

Another object of the invention is to provide a unitary bed structure in which each bed thereof is a complete and comfortable unit in itself and includes head and foot boards that accompany the respective beds when moved to adjusted posi= tion, and, when moved together, constitute a wide and comfortable double bed.

Other objects of the invention are to provide novel combinations and arrangements of elements, simple and inexpensive details of construction, and a structure that has general superiority and servieeability.

The accompanying drawings show a preferred Y' embodiment of the present invention. In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a unitary bed structure according to the present invention, the same being shown arranged as a double bed.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view as seen from the footboard end of said structure and arranged as a twin bed unit.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view as taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4.- is a similarly enlarged fragmentary seca tional view as taken on lined-4 of Fig'. 2.

Fig.v 5 is a vside elevational view of the bed structuredrawn to the scale of Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of one-half of a novel l base employed in the bed structure, said 'View being taken substantially on line of Fig. 5.

Fig. 'Y is an enlarged plan sectional view of operating means embodied in the base for simultaneously and relatively moving two beds mounted vpartly in section, of a coupling connecting the sections of a feed screw used in the structure.

The unitary bed structure that 'is illustrated comprises, generally, a base l5, two substantially similar beds l5 and Il mounted on said base, roller means I8 affording frictionless movement of the beds laterally relative to each other and to the base, means I9 extending transversely of the base and embodied therein for effecting the mentioned movement of the beds, and operating means 20, one at each side of the base, for operating the bed-moving means l 9.

The base l5 comprises two frames 2| arranged side by side, and a connecting portion 22 for said frames. The base, therefore,v is generally H- shaped, as shown best in Fig. 11.

The frames 2 I are similargbut oppositely formed made, they will besuitably internally braced'to obviate distortion and, if desired, may be covered with metal or plywood panels. Y

The connecting portion 22 is somewhat atter than the frames 2l and is made to be as low as possiblesothat the same may be stepped over a baseboard 25, and side rails 26 connectingrsaid 10 boards. The usual spring 21 and mattress 28 are provided for each bed. It will be noted that the". headboard and baseboard of both beds'are spaced so as to be beyond the ends of frames 2l' and extend toward, but clear of thesupport;,-lfxr,1;15

thereby concealing the frames when viewed from either end of the structure.

The means I8 is shown as comprising three;

channels 29 mounted transversely on each frame 2i, The bese efeaebv `eherlrleltis V.sle-iltedf end, 2o

from beneath, a plurality of tra elyspaced rollers 30 extend throughthe slo in th'echannels. The inner sides ofthe lieadboardandz'baseb oard and an intermediate `.transfv'ersfesupport membe- 3 l: extending dewriwerdf iremgeaeh. Deir 26 oi rails 26, mount transversecleats `3 2l thatv rest upon rollersnil. rvIt istherefre,. clearthatfbeds I6 and l'l can roll sidevvise, relative, tio-frames' 2l by the frictionless support afforded'byrpllers 32).

.Eeeh leed, irl alignment Ywith,;een,inenting',.nerso ine thteeeil.; ihe-ileieiendirom, Sider@ side efbe'se 35 Y f and the Screw en ene erleben/"e riehifhene ehreefes and those.' onine other see, left-heedfihleedsk Se` 'that rotation' ;of seid eerew wilh effect sim'hu'l taneeus movement of the4 beds toward vfreier eeehether v`.aeeerdirgi to. the'pei- 4o rectio'n'said screw is rotated. The inne'rfralr/ne Sides. limiifmevemeeeof. the bede 'iewe'id eeeh other; alie, Peellel abutment members 3.1.: limit Outward' mevemllhef Seid e-ieede@ Eer; .eenvenienee ei.- eesl.e'nibly,;thexfeed Serewl' isma'de Als the base i5 can be knocked v'down fori Aeasy tra sprtationbyfdetachingportion 2 2 v fr in the framesigl and separating the screw lends at ceupljnglala'.. L i zfx r3.1

,Iew111beneiee-ea screws isneaerlehe need endet the: Strueture, se., that. persen lVziJiefQn either be@ lee-,llffeen easily ,afneemt/'11. ver the outer side of the bedtomanipulatethe'rneans movement of the beds ou thel, Support rnller means l vInorder thatsaid means-28 maynot extend beyond the outer sides ofwframes 2-l,.whe'n nctin use, the `driften-ends of screw s fterminate Shei eilihe enter-Side members@ ef'saidfremes. x60

AS .Svhewfl @inwardly formed'nertenii; en eeeh Side foithe bese; lsdenes, .e reeee'sAl ein, which the* means 2 0 isaccommodated, one on each side bracket a'th is xedlto'framepdrtidn @in metatags side of ratchet wheeldllE'.Y Thehiaildle, Whihis s keyedto ,site 4,41 ehendl T41' mf 'is provided with KAapalinof earsl-whichare meuntedfor free rotationon said stud l@neither .can be manipulated.. In.. the pres apart by a spring 5B so that the dog ends 5l of said -pawls are urged inward toward each other. A rotational sleeve 52 is mounted on the handle and held in place by a collar 53 at one end and by the mentioned ears 48 at the opposite end. Recesses 54 are provided in the handle to accommodate the tails of pawls 49 and are of suiicient depth to permit movement of the same toward ternal'ecc'entric cam face' that'extends through an arc of some 135 leaving the remainder 56 of the sleeve bore concentric with the outer surface of the sleeve.

As" s'eenin Figs. 7 and 9, when the sleeve 52 is rotationallyl vadjusted to align concentric portion either b ore vith one pawl 49, the spring will pressrthedogend 5| of said pawl into engagement With the teeth of ratchet wheel 45. At the same time, the middle? part of cam face will inwardly. press v the tei-'i1 @f theether-pawl. to retract its dog end away from'sai'dratchetwheel. Consequently, the handle "1" i'srreciprocate, the first-mentioned pawl Will alternatelydrive and ratchet over thefte'eth-.of .the ra'tehettwh'eel to rotate gears 42 and 43 and rotate'feed screw 3 5 in onedirection. By turning sleeve zthrough an arc of 180?, the retractedpawl 'isbroght .into operative engagement with theratchet Wheela'nd the previously operative .pawl isretracted.. Nw, when the handle ll'i isY reeiprocated, the feed screw is rotated in .thefoppSitedirectpnw By the above' simple'.rrieansgbedslf and i ZQCan, with little eo'rt and.frbrnja' ppsitionLor-onefof them,.be moved apart Qr broughttbgetheg as d sired Since the-abveoperationis'desired tofbe effected from eithen side",of the struc'ture,A` ts is necessary" tdu'rieeuplel the'.l 'perenne' ,meer

both'ends so that,V at any time,` oneiep' there rotating sleeve 52 .'th roug h glfromqeitherfoperating' position, .as in Fig@ 10, thecamface'Will retract the dos esiSLQibQihQeWIS;,simultneously, thus uncoupling'handle i from the feed screw 35.,

AWhile such uncQulllng 1 Qtatioiif. orfgsleey l may be accomplished manually, th`e Y'san/1e i preferably automatically effetedfwhvtheh Udile' yis swung to a non-protruding psitionfin "ess 4l. For this purpose, the sle eve ,52 is provided with a suitable number of suitablyl arrangedradial projections 5? 1which are positioned so thatoneOf them" encounters .a ferwardly'.l proj e'cting; bra k'et es sgee on frame perdonen Wher'igtheharldleis swung to an out-.ofthelway position.' Thefsleve will berotated some j fremjeither dperating position to achieve Y.the posfitiondf' Eig. -10 i in which the handlelli is uncoupled from the feed screw35.

Since nuts '54 and i eed 'f srew i3 5 are' selfleclifig on 'their threads, the' Zbeds; will-retain the'iradjustes position. A1so, thje' engagement; f sind nuts and screwv counteracts vanylv tiidencyeforjthe beds to tilt by excess of weightonQnesidelorthe The foregoing' disclosure'should lbe cnsi'dered 5. as exemplary since the means thereof can be modified and yet achieve the functions hereinabove described. Accordingly, I desire to reserve to myself such modifications of the invention that may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I Ydesire to obtain by Letters Patent, is:

portion connecting said frames, a bed mounted upon each frame, elongated bed-moving means extending across the base and through the mentioned connecting portion, a member extending downwardly from each bed and adjustably connected to intermediate portions of said bed-moving means, and a device on each end of the bedmoving means to operatively move the latter adjustably to move the two beds simultaneously relative to each other.

3. A unitary bed structure comprising a base `formed to have two spaced parallel frames and a portion connecting said frames, the same constituting a flat H-shaped supporting structure, a bed mounted on each frame to overstand the same, the beds being wider than the frames and movable relative to the frames to overhangthe inner or outer sides of the frames, selectively, means connected to the beds and extending transversely of the frame and through the connecting portion thereof to move the beds simule taneously to overhang the inner or outer sides of the base frames, as desired, and operating means for the bed-moving means accessible to an occupant of either bed.

4. A bed structure according to claim 3: the operating means comprising an occupant-controlled device on each end of the bed-moving means, and a separable coupling connecting each said. end and the operating device connected thereto.

'5. A bed structure according to claim 3: the bed-moving means comprising a feed screw, the operating means comprising an occupant-controlled device on each end of the feed screw, and a separable coupling connecting each said screw end and the operating device connected thereto.

ALBERT A. SANDOW.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 544,630 Scherer Aug. 1.3, 1895 1,323,229 Borhauer Nov. 25, 1919 2219,455 Rhodes Oct. 29, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,137 Great Britain of 1908 183,650 Switzerland Oct. 1, 1936 

